#include <function.h>
static private mapping Consult = ([]);
// abstract methods
string GetDefiniteShort();
// end abstract methods
varargs mixed GetConsult(string str) {
    if( !str ) {
	str = "default";
    }
    return Consult[str];
}
string array GetConsults() {
    return keys(Consult);
}
mapping RemoveConsult(string item) { 
    map_delete(Consult, item); 
    return Consult;
}
varargs mapping SetConsult(mixed key, mixed desc) {
    if( !key ) {
	key = "default";
    }
    if( !desc ) {
	if( mapp(key) ) {
	    Consult = expand_keys(key);
	}
	else {
	    Consult["default"] = key;
	}
    }
    else {
	Consult[key] = desc;
    }
    return Consult;
}
varargs mixed CanConsult(object who, string component) {
    mixed val;
    if( !component ) {
	component = "default";
    }
    val = Consult[component];
    if( !val ) {
	if( component == "default" ) {
	    return 0;
	}
	else {
	    return "#There is no " + component + " on " +
	    GetDefiniteShort() + ".";
	}
    }
    else return 1;
}
varargs mixed eventConsult(object who, string component) {
    mixed val;
    if( !component ) {
	val = Consult["default"];
    }
    else {
	val = Consult[component];
    }
    if( arrayp(val) ) {
	val = val[query_night()];
    }
    if( stringp(val) ) {
	object env;
	env = environment(who);
	who->eventPrint(val);
	if( component ) {
	    env->eventPrint(who->GetName() + " consults the " + component +
	      " on " + GetDefiniteShort() + ".", who);
	}
	else {
	    env->eventPrint(who->GetName() + " consults " +
	      GetDefiniteShort() + ".", who);
	}
	return 1;
    }
    else {
	if( functionp(val) & FP_OWNER_DESTED ) {
	    return "Error in evaluating functional.";
	}
	return evaluate(val, who, component);
    }
}
mixed direct_consult_obj(object target) {
    return CanConsult(this_player());
}
mixed direct_consult_str_on_obj(string str, object target) {
    return CanConsult(this_player(), remove_article(lower_case(str)));
}